- Title: Afghans crossing border into Pakistan say country peaceful, but no jobs
- Date: 25th August 2021
- Summary: CHAMAN BORDER, PAKISTAN (AUGUST 25, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CROWDING AT ZERO POINT AT THE CHAMAN BORDER MEN WITH BAGS STANDING NEAR VEHICLES (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) AFGHAN MAN, WHO ARRIVED TO MEET FRIENDS IN PAKISTAN, HABIB, SAYING: "The situation in Afghanistan is good because there are no incidents of theft, murder and bomb blasts in the government of Islami Emirate. The government has taken good steps. It has been more than ten, fifteen days and there has not been an incident of firing in all of Afghanistan. I am very happy. I have come here to meet some friends in Pakistan after one year." PEOPLE GATHERED (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) AFGHAN MAN, WHO ARRIVED FROM KANDAHAR PROVINCE, SARDAR WALI, SAYING: "Praise be to Allah, now the situation is better in Afghanistan after an Islamic government has taken over the country. The situation is not as it used to be before. The tyranny has ended as it used to be in the past. Now the government is working with justice. Earlier, I used to study here in Pakistan. Now, since peace is there in Afghanistan, I have come here to collect my books. I will receive the rest of education there (in Afghanistan)." PEOPLE GATHERED WHILE PREPARING TO BOARD VEHICLES LUGGAGE ON GROUND/PEOPLE GATHERED (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) AFGHAN MAN FROM NANGARHAR PROVINCE, WHO WORKED IN A BRICKS KILN, ZABIH ULLAH, SAYING: "There were Taliban all over. All the places were captured by them. But there was no employment there. I have come to Pakistan to find work. I used to work there (in Afghanistan) at a bricks kiln. Though it was peaceful, there is no employment." PEOPLE WITH LUGGAGE WALKING
- Embargoed: 8th September 2021 15:11
- Keywords: Afghanistan Chaman border Pakistan
- Location: CHAMAN BORDER, PAKISTAN
- City: CHAMAN BORDER, PAKISTAN
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001ERS0M6F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Afghans crossing over to Pakistan via a major southwestern border crossing with Afghanistan said on Wednesday (August 25) that violence had subsided back home but that there was unemployment after the Taliban takeover.
"There was no employment there (Afghanistan). I have come to Pakistan to find work. I used to work there at a bricks kiln. Though it was peaceful, there is no employment," said one man from Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province.
However, many Afghans fear reprisals and a return to a harsh version of sharia law that the Taliban enforced when in power from 1996 to 2001, in particular the repression of women.
In July, Pakistan's information minister said that Pakistan would not allow any new Afghan refugees to enter Pakistan's heartland, with the government instead planning on establishing refugee camps near the border.
The Afghan government collapsed as the United States and its allies withdrew troops two decades after they ousted the Taliban in the weeks after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States by al Qaeda militants, whose leaders had found safe haven in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
Leaders of the Taliban have begun talks on forming a government that have included discussions with some old enemies, including former President Hamid Karzai.
(Production: Waseem Sattar, Shahabuddin Shahab, Parul Gupta) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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